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(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to travel trays for vehicles, and more particularly to an adjustable fold-down travel tray for the cab of a tractor-trailer truck.
(2) Background Information
One of the major inconveniences of driving a long-haul vehicle such as a conventional tractor-trailer truck is the little space available to support snacks and beverages and the like. In most cases, the driver must either insert a heavy and cumbersome console to rest between the seats in the cab, or the materials must be rested on the floor of the vehicle.
The hazards of placing such material on the floor are obvious. First, a beverage container will likely spill its contents on a rough road, or upon the occurrence of braking the vehicle. In the alternative, the driver may attempt to hold the beverage container in an upright position, while leaning down to the floor and simultaneously trying to maintain control of the vehicle. Neither situation is safe.
While a console provides a better support for such snacks, the console can be unwieldy to move in and out of the vehicle. In addition, a console that is not bolted down becomes a dangerous flying object within the cab in the event of a collision or other road emergency.
It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide an improved adjustable fold-down travel tray for a vehicle.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a travel tray that is fastened into position in a vehicle, yet is simple and convenient to set up and store.
Still another object is to provide a fold-down travel tray that may be setup and stored by the use of one hand.
Yet a further object is to provide a fold-down travel tray that is economical to manufacture and easy to use.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
The fold-down travel tray of the present invention includes a tray with a pivotal axis slidably journaled in a slot on a bracket on the upper end of a support post, to permit the tray to be moved between a horizontal working position and a vertical storage position. The pivot axis and associated slot are positioned such that the tray is released from the working position by sliding the pivot axis from one end of the slot to the other. The post is slidably journaled through a sleeve on a mounting plate, to permit vertical adjustment of the height of the tray.